Liquid brake



P. MEYER 7 LIQUID BRAKE Oct. 16 1923. 1,471,186 1 Filed 001,. 30. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet l Patented Oct, 16, 1923,

UNETED STATES? PATENT orrica.

PETER MEYER, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

LIQUID BRAKE.

Application filed October 30, 1922. Serial No. 597,809.

. will have no metal to metal frictional braking surfaces to become worn and require frequent renewal, and which will be selflubricating and cheap of maintenance.

' A further object of the invention is the provision of improved means in brakes of the class described, whereby a continuous brake action may be safely had by forcing a relatively small \bOdY, of oil repeatedly through a variable orifice and communicating the back pressure thus created to the drive shaft. the construction of the device being such as to have all of the moving parts thereof totally submerged in the oil, thereby reducing the wear of the parts to a minimum.

A still further object of the invention is to provide, in a brake of the class described, a structure which may be largely constructcd of cast metal parts requiring little machining and thus rendering it cheap of manufacture, and which may be operated by a foot pedal, ordinarily used in present practice.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear throughout the progress of this specification, the inventionconsisting in the construction, combination. and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

' of Figure 2, showing the control mechanism for controlling, the operation of the brake.

Figure 5, is a sectional view on line 5-5 of Figure 2. w v F' re 6, is a perspective view of the osclllating element forming the driven part of the brake.

Figure 7, is a fra entary' perspective new of a portion 0 the housing which forms part of the back pressure chambers containing part of the oscillating element.

Figure 8, is a perspective vlew of the driving'arm on the drive shaft for actuating the oscillating element.

Figure 9, is a fragmentary plan viewdrawn to a reduced scale-of an automobile chassis frame, showing the motor and its drive shaft and my improved brake attached thereto.

Figure 10, is a diagrammatic view of the oscillator element and part of the housing wherein it oscillates, to more clearly define its movements; and

Figure 11, is a diagrammatic perspective view of the oscillatory element resting on the apex of a cone, to further illustrate the manner in which the body of oil resists os cillating movement of the flange of the element.

The invention comprises a casing 1, which may be termed a stationary element, in that it is mounted on the frame 2 (Figure 9) as by means of the supporting stra members 3, the inner ends at the latter being here shown secured respectively to the lugs 4, there being one lug proi ecting radially from either side of the casino. The casing is further supported on the drive shaft 4'. it being provided with central, longitudinally disposed end bearings 5 and 6, the former being relatively short and the latter being tubular and extending inwardly for the major portion of the length of the casing toward the short bearing. Intermediate its ends the long bearing is formed exteriorly with a sphere or ball 7, the center 7' of the sphere being coincident with the longitudinal axis of the bearing.

The casing is further formed with a spherical end wall 8, concentric with said ball,

. tion of said wall extending short of a 'verand spaced therefrom to form a space 9 of uniform radial width, the spherical por- ;tical plane disposed at" right angles to the Iaxis of the shaft, and being coincident with the center 7', the end wall then flaring upwardly and outwardly symmetrically about the center 7 the inner face 10 of said flaring portion radiatin to the center 7 thus forming a conic wa l. v

The casing is further formed with a conic wall 11, similar to the conic wall 10, and disposed symmetrically relative to the latter about the center 7 whereby I secure in efl'ect, two oppositely disposed similar cones having their a exes in the center .7 The inner edge 12 of t he wall 11 is of spherical configuration and alines with the inner faceof the wall 8.

Fitting slidably in the space 9 is the spherical shell 13, preferably integral with the-outwardly flaring cylindrical hollow extension 14, conical in shape, said extension being formed interiorly with an annular runway 14', disposed at a suitable angle to bring it into parallelism with the axis of rotation of the shaft when the extension is axially relative to said axis.

Secured on the shaft and extending outwardly therefrom, is the lever or drive arm 15, the outer extremity of which is preferably fitted with a rotatable ball 16, which .latter is disposed centrally of the runway .14 and enga therewith to roll thereon. Thus, when t e shaft is rotated, oscillatory movement about the center 7 is imparted to the extension 14, the s herical shell 13 forming a more or less eak proof 'oint with the inner edge 12 of the conic wall 11, and with a part of the inner spherical face of the wall 8;

Preferably integral with the shell 13 is the flange 17, said flange being circular in outline and standing at right angles to the axis 17 of the extension 14, opposite sides of said flange being formed to radiate to the center 7 so that when the lever arm 15 is in engagement with the runway 14, the side of the flange 17 will come close to or rollingly contact with the conic wall 10 or 11 (as the case may be), at a point on its circumference. The circumferential outer edge of the flange 17 is also of spherical formation with 7 as its. center, and is of a diameter to permit to freely move over the spherical inner wall 18 of the chamber 19,

which latter is formed by the walls 10 and 11 and the shell 13. The flange 17, the shell 13, and the extension 14 may be termed an oscillatory element, in that a rotary movement of the arm 15 will cause the flange to oscillate in the chamber;

The casing is further formed opposite the end wall 8 with a preferably flat and inclined to a predetermined degree l armies wall 20, which is joined to the conic surrounding wall 20', which latter in turn is joined to the spherical surrounding wall portion 20", these walls being so formed as to afford ample clearance in the interior of the casing to permit free movement of the oscillatory element.

In order to render the casing liquid tight, I have provided, in connection with the wall 20, a suitable stufiing box,.comprisin a cylindrical packing chamber 21 surroun ing the shaft to receive suitable rod acking, a gland 22 slidably entering the c amber 21 to compress the packing, and a cap 22 suitably screw threaded on the exterior of the wall surrounding the chamber 21 whereby to force the gland inwardly. At the opposite end of the housing, I have also provided a stufiing box similar to the studmg box just described, the parts having similar identifying members.

At the top, the casing is formed with 2. preferably integral oil reservoir A, here shown rectangular in shape, and having a removable cover 23. Cutting through the floor 23' of the reservoir and leading into the chambers 19 and 19 respectively (Figure 2), are the ports 24.- aud 25, these ports being separated by the partition wall 26, which wall extends longitudinally of the casing, and is level at the top with the floor 23, and at its lower extremity fits slidablyover the shell 13.

In vertical alinement with the wall 26 is the wall 27, which latter divides the lower portion of the chamber 19, thus forming the aforesaid chambers 19 and a companion chamber 19. Mounted to slide over said ports is the slide valve 28, said valve being guided on opposite sides by the guide bars 28, to render it slidable at right angles to the shaft, the valve being formed with a central port 29 and cover plates 29 and 29" on either side thereof, the port 29 being normally closed by the wall 26. As shown in Figure 2, the valve holds the ports 24 and 25 normally closed, but simultaneously opens both when slid to the right, the plate 29 then resting on the wall 26, while the port 29 will register! with the port 24.

.livotally connected to the valve, as by means of the pivot 30, is the valve rod. 31, which extends horizontally through and beyond the Wall of the reservoir A and has slidable, pivotal connection 32 with the vertically disposed bell crank 33, said bell crank having pivotal mounting by means of the pivot 34 on the outside of the casing so as to be swingable at right angles to the shaft. A suitable valve rod stufling box is provided for the valve rod, and comprises a packing chamber 34:, a gland 34" entering said packing chamber to compress the packing therein, and a ca 35 screw threaded on the exterior of the Wa surrounding said packin 'chber to force the gland against the pac ing.

The rod is further formed with an annular shoulder 36 to limit the outward movement thereof, said shoulder abutting inst the wall of the reservoir when the valve is in open position. An extensile spring 36' surrounding the rod urges the valve to closed position, a pin 36 serving as a stop to limit its inward movement. The short arm of the bell crank 33 extends outwardly and is fitted with an anti-friction roller 37.

Extending from the side of the housing is the In 37 formed to slidably support, in vertica position, the push rod or control member 38, said member extending slidably near its top through the bracket 39, which latter is preferably suitably secured to the side of the oil reservoir as by means of the cap screws 39 (Figure 4'); Thus, the control member is verticall reciprocatory and is formed intermediate its ends with an 0E- set 40, whereby the upper portion thereof is rendered wider than the lower portion. The member is pivotallyconnected at its upper extremity by means of the pivot 41', to a tread lever 42, which latter is fulcrumed as by means of the pivot 43 at any suitable position on the car body (not shown) near the operator.

An extensile spring rests on the lug 37 and surrounds the member and abiits at the top against the collar 45 adjustably carried by the member, whereby the push rod is urged upwardly, a stop pin 46 being provided to limit its upward movement. Normally, the oset 40, which is suitably rounded to constitute a camming surface, is normally preferabl situated immediately adjacent and above downward movement ofi the control member will cause the ofi'set 40 to engage with the roller 37 and bodily rotate the bell crank 33 about its pivot 34, as indicated in dotted lines, thereby imparting a sliding movement to the slide valve and opening the ports 24 and 25. A further downward movement of the member will cause the roller to roll over the ofiset 40 and onto the inner edge 47 of the member, thus holding the valve open irrespective of any further downward movement of said member.

Referring now to the casing 1 (Figure 3) the lower portion of the casing is forme with a valve chamber 48, formed by the side walls 48 extending parallel to the division wall 27, and the end walls 48", joining with said side walls and extending transversely of the casing and preferably parallel with the walls 10 and 11, and a bottom wall 49, jointed to said side and end walls.

The casing is further formed with a return passage way 50, which leads from the chamber 48 to the reservoir A, as is best shown in Figure 2, the passage Way being e roller 37, so that the initialinterrupted by a throttle valve 51. The throttle valve comprises a tapered plug 51', having a port 52 111 register with the passage way 50, said plug being rotatably fitted in the casing and having an outwardly extending lever arm 53, which has slidable pivotal connection by means of the slot 53' and the pivot pin 54 with the control member 38. As shown in Figure 2, the valve is full open when the push rod is in its uppermost normal position. The control member is formed with a vertically disposed slot 55, adapted to slidabl receive the pivot in 54. The function 0 this slot is to de ay actuation of the valve 51 for a period of time suflicient to permit the offset 40 to initially actuate the bell crank 33.

In open communication with the valve chamber 48 and the chamber 19, are the ports 55' and 55", said ports cutting through the walls 10 and 11, respectively. In open communication with the chamber 48 and the chamber 19 are the ports 56 and 56', also cutting through the walls 10 and 11, respectively. Each of the four ports is rovided with a similar shutter or gate va ve 57, each of these valves being pivoted as by means of a horizontal pivot pin 58 su ported in a pair of lugs 59 to preferably fa I shut by gravity. Each valve is formed with a surrounding lip 59', overlapping the edge of the rt, so that pressure applied upon the outside of the valve will efl'ectually close the port against leakage.

Referring to Flgures 2 and 6 of the drawings, the flange 17 of the oscillating element is cut away at opposite sides to form radial, outwardly o enlng slots 60, these slots being of a widt to freely receive, respectively, the walls 26 and 27, and still permit th flange to freely be oscillated.

In operation, the casing is filled preferably with lubricating oil of a consistency to run freely, so that the reservoir A will be approximately filled, as indicated in Figure 3. The cover 23 is then placed in position. The oil is prevented from leakin by the stufing boxes, as described, the va ve lug 51 having a ground fit and being provided with adjustment nuts 61 to hold it to its seat. in filling the casing it is to be understood that the slide valve 28 is preliminarily opened to permit the oil to enter all parts of the casing, including the chambers 19 and 19. Let it be assumed that the shaft 4 is rotatin at a rate of speed customary in automo iles, which varies from four revolutions of the shaft to one of the wheels and upward. As the shaft revolves, the driving arm 15 will actuate the oscillatinqelement, which includes the flange 17, which, as explained in the foregoing, will simulate a rolling movement simultaneously on both conic walls 10 and 11. This may be more clearly described by referring to diagrams 10 and ll of the drawings. In diagram 10 the axis 17. (indicated in dotted lines in Figure 3) is carrid around the axis of the shaft 4' by the .arm 15. Obviously, the underside a of the flange will roll u vented from rotating by the walls 26 and 27 extending through the slots 60 (Figure 6). The same mode of operation will concurrently apply to the side 6 of the flan e which will roll upon the conic surface 1 Obviously, the oil occupying the' s ace within which the flange oscillates (c ambers 19 and 19) will be driven in a semi-circular path in a direction depending upon the direction of rotation of the shaft 4'. Thus, referring to Figure 11, when the shaft 4 is rotating in the direction indicated by the arrow 0, the body of oil. between the oscillating flange and the conic surface will be driven in the direction indicated by the arrow a". A reverse movement of the shaft will reverse the flow of the oil and force it through the po t 55.

In i ire 11*1 have shown a complete cone to il ustrate the flow of the oil, and have indicated by the dotted lines the orbit of the axis of the oscillating element. In actual construction, however, the apexes of the two oppositely disposed cones are cut off and rep aced by the ball joint, which is resorted to for mechanically imparting oscillatory motion to a flange (which may be termed an oscillatory piston) confined in an annular chamber divided into two parts, for the purpose of forcing a confined body of oil over the face of a cone in advance of the flange. The device is operated by the control mechanism as follows: Upon depression of the lever 42*(Figure 4) the bell crank 33 is initially actuated to open the slide valve, as hereinbefore explained, after which the upperend of the slot 55 will have come to rest upon the pivot pin 54, so that a continued downward movement of the lever 42 will actuate the throttle valve by turning the plug 51' and thus change the position of the port 52 with respect to the passage way 50, thereby reducing the area of the passage way to vary the resistance of oil forced upward through the passage way on its return to the reservoir A.

Immediately after the initial actuation of the bell crank and the consequent opening of the slide valve 28. oil from the reservoir will descend through the ports 24 and 25 into the .chambers 19 and 19' if for any reason these into the passage way 50 and through the throttle valve back to the reservoir. Obvin the conic surface 10, inasmuch as the dis is prememes ously, the forcing of this oil through the throttle valve wlll create a back pressure against the flange and thereby resist its oselllatory movement, thus imparting braking I action to the shaft, which action will increase in extent as the area of the passage Willy is decreased b the throttle valve.

t will be note that concurrently with the driving of the oil th-roughthe port 56, as just described, the oil on the opposite side of the oscillating disk will be driven upward in advance of the disk and be thereby forced through the port 24; into the reservoir, thus offering no resistance exceptin that required to lift the small body of 011 back into the reservoir. Thus braking action is applied to the shaft when running in one direction, the action being rendered continu ous by repeated oscillations of the member, affording a continuous braking by the falling of the oil by gravity from the reservoir into the chambers 19 and 19 as fast as it Ts forced through the chamber 48 and the throttle valve into the reservoir. It will be noted that as the oil is forced through the gate valve 56 and into the passage way 50, a pressure is set up in said chamber, which pressure is exerted on the backs of the other three valves, forming closures for *the ports F5, 55", and 56', thus holding these valves closed against the slight opposing ressurc existing on the opposite sides thereo which pressure is developed by the oil which is being forced into the reservoir.

When the shaft is driven in the opposite direction, or reverse to that just described, with the oscillatory member positioned as shown in Figure 3, the oil will be forced from above downward pastthe valve shown in full lines, through the port 56', and thence into the passage way 50 as before, the oil being correspondingly forced into the reservoir on the opposite side of the member. When the oscillatingmember is positioned as indicated in diagram 10, and the shaft is rotating from below upwards, as indicated by the arrow in Figure 3, the oil wiil be forced in advance of the member through the port 55'. Should the shaft be running in reverse direction, however, with the disk in the position shown in diagram 10, the oil will be forced through the port 55".

It will be noted that the valves are totally submerged in oil, as is also the oscillating element, so that the wear of the parts is reduced to a minimum, the oil forming a, cushlating member will be, forced up, either through the port 24' or 25 as the case may be, to the opposite side of the member, thus avoiding any materialresista'nce to the rotation of the drive shaft;

While the chamber in which the oscillatory member 14 oscillates will receive the oil which may leak through the joint between the edge 12 of the wall 11 and the shell 13, I. have provided a small oil inlet passage 58 communicatingwith the oil reservoir, which inlet may be used when 'desired by removing the closure screw 59" (Figure 3).

I claim:

1, The combination with a frame and a drivable shaft supported thereon; of a hollow casing-surrounding said shaft and supported on said-frame to be held stationary low casing surrounding said shaft and supthereby, said casing including a chamber adapted to contain liquid on one side of said shaft, a similar chamber on the 0 posite side of said shaft, each of said cham ers having an inlet portat its top,'an oscillato member extending into the interior of 0th of said chambers, the inner walls of each of said chambers and said member being constructed to cooperate to force a part of the oil to occupy the lower portion of said chambers respectively when said member is oscillated, said member having operative connection with said shaft to be oscillated thereby responsive to a driving movement thereof in either direction, a discharge port for each of said chambers for discharging the oil into the lower portion of said chambers a duct in open communication with said discharge.

ports and inlet ports to conduct the oil from the former to the latter, and'means for va ing at will the cross sectional area of sald duct.

2. Thecombination with a frame and a drivable shaft supported thereon, of a holported on said frame to be held stationary thereby, said casing including a chamber extending around half of said shaft, a similar chamber, contiguous to said chamber and in lateral alinement therewith, surrounding the other half of said shaft, the inner oppositewalls of both of said chambers inclining symmetrically to a common center coincident with the axis of said shaft,

a port in the inclined wall of each of said Y both of said chambers to permit oil to flow into said chambers, a duct in open communication with the interior of said casing at a point located below Said, valves and leading -low casing surrounding said shaft and into said oil reservoir,--manual means for oscillatory memberbeing constructed to effeet or simulate a rollin movement with its opposlte sides respectively over said inclined walls, for the purpose set forth.

The combination with a frame and a drivable shaft supported thereon, of a hollow casing surrounding said shaft and supported on said frame to be held stationary thereby, said casing including a chamber extending around one side of said shaft, a similar chamber, contiguous to said chamber and in lateral alinement therewith, surrounding the opposite side of said shaft, the 1nner opposite walls of both of said chambers mclining symmetrically toward each other to a common center located coincident with the axis of said shaft, a port in the inclined wall of each of said chambers located below said shaft, a closure valve, for each of said ports constructed and mounted to swing loosel on the outside of the inclined wall of its respective chamber, said ports being in open communication with the hollow of said casing, an oil reservoir at the top of said casing 1n open communicat1 on with both of said chambers to permit 011 to flow into them,-an oscillatory member having operative connection with said shaft to be oscillated thereby when said shaft is actuated, said oscillatory member being constructed to effect or simulate a rolling movement with its opposite sides respectively over said inclined walls, a duct in open communication'with the-interior of said casing at a point below said valves and leading arbitrarily varying the area of said duct.

4. The combination with a frame :andja; drivable shaft supported thereon, ofja h 51 p? ported on said frame to be held stationary thereby, said casing including a chamber extending half way around said shaft, a 'simi-' lar chamber, 7 contiguous to said chamber and in lateral alinement therewith, extending around the other half of said shaft, the

inner opposite walls of both of said chambers inclining symmetrically to a common center which is coincident with the axis of rotation of said shaft, a port in the inclined wall of each of said chambers located below said shaft, a valve for each of said ports constructed and mounted to swin loosely on the outside of the inclined wal of its respective chamber, said ports communicating with the hollow of said casing, a duct in open communication with the interior ofsaid casing at a point located below said valves and being in open communication with the interior of both of said chambers 10 'j into said oil reservoir, and manual means for of, and a manually operable throttle valve for throttling said duct.

5. The combination with a frame and a drivable shaft supported thereon, of a hollow casing surrounding said shaft and supported on said frame to be held stationary thereby, said casing including a chamber extending from a point located above the shaft around one side thereof to a point located below the shaft, a similar chamber, contiguous to said chamber, extending around the opposite side of said shaft, said chambers lying in a common plane at right angles to said shaft, an oil reservoir located above said chambers and being inopen communication with both, to permit oil to fall into the chambers, a diict in open communication with the interior of said casing at a point located below said chambers and leading into said oil reservoir, manual means for throttling said duct at will, an oscillatory member operatively connected to the shaft to be oscillated thereby responsive to a driving movement thereof, a part of said oscillatory member extending into both of said chambers, the walls of both of said chambers and said oscillatory part being constructed to cooperate responsive to an oscillatory movement of said oscillatory member to tend to force part of the oil in one of said chambers to the bottom thereof when the shaft is rotating in one direction, and to force a art of the oil to the bottom of the other of said chambers when the shaft is running in the opposite direction, and valve mechanism for each of said chambers adjacent the bottom thereof, said mechanism including a port in open communication with said duct to permit the oil forced to the bottom of said respective chambers to be discharged.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

PETER MEYER. 

